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Washington & Lee University

Lexington, VA 24450
Virginia Northeast
Private Small Developing team
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Maddie Coleman

Entering her first year at the helm, Maddie Coleman was tabbed to be the third Women's Lacrosse Head Coach in Washington and Lee University's history on August 1, 2022.


Coleman, a Lexington native, returned home after spending nine seasons at Denison University. For six of those, she served as the assistant coach before being promoted to Associate Head Coach for the Big Red for her final three seasons.


The 2018 IWLCA-Nike Outstanding Assistant Coach of the Year focused on goalie and defensive development. During her tenure, DU claimed seven North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament Championships and 39 consecutive NCAC contests. Coaching six IWLCA All-Americans while there, Denison’s squad compiled a 56-5 (.903) NCAC record and 111-42 (.725) overall.


An IWLCA All-America honoree in 2012, Coleman played in the cage for the Bullets, finishing top-10 in the nation in both save percentage and goals against average (GAA) as a junior and senior. The two-time First Team All-Centennial honoree notched 11 wins over nationally ranked opponents.


In 2011, Coleman led Gettysburg to its first NCAA DIII Women’s Lacrosse National Championship, picking up All-Tournament Team accolades after recording 28 saves in the final three games of the tournament. In the Championship, she made nine stops and allowed just five goals.


Off the field, Coleman worked as a program coordinator and administrator for student life and as the Tri Delta National House Director at Denison. Prior to arriving in Ohio, she spent a year at Glenalmond College in Scotland as the women’s lacrosse coach and assisted the U19 Scotland National Team. Coleman earned a Master of Education in Sport Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2016.

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Avery Blackmon

LEXINGTON, Va. - Washington and Lee Michael F. Walsh Director of Athletics Jan Hathorn announced the appointment of Avery Blackmon as the Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach and Assistant Professor of Physical Education.


Blackmon immediately joins Head Coach Maddie Coleman as the full time assistant as the 2023 season gets underway this week.


Blackmon arrives in Lexington with a wide variety of lacrosse coaching experiences since graduating from Georgetown College (Ky.) in 2019. The 2019 NAIA Player of the Year spent the 2022 season at Division I Central Michigan as the first assistant. At CMU, Blackmon led all the skill, practice and game plan implementation for the draw unit and assisted with the offensive strategies and development. While Central Michigan was searching for a new head coach, Blackmon served as the interim head coach and assisted with the transition.


"Our program is really fortunate to bring on Coach Blackmon to the staff," state Coleman. "She has collected a lot of experience at different levels in such a short amount of time. Avery's experience in the midfield, the draw and offensive schemes will be a positive addition to our program and we are excited to get started."


As a player, the Georgia native was a force in the midfield as she racked up 584 draw controls with 302 goals and 125 assists for 427 points. Blackmon's individual statistics helped garner four NAIA First Team All-America awards and was named All-Conference each year in addition to being named NWLL Conference Player and Rookie of the Year. The three-time captain helped the Tigers make an appearance in the NAIA National Tournament on three occasions and were runner-ups in 2016.


The midfielder studied psychology and studio art at Georgetown and earned a masters in health and human performance in 2022. She was an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and an Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Scholar-Athlete Award recipient in 2019, she was a member of the Dean's List for three years.


After graduation, Blackmon spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Division III Hartwick College as an assistant coach. While in Oneonta, she assisted with practice plans, game strategy, camps, clinics and recruiting. While there, the Hawks improved in clearing rates, converting free positions and draw controls.


Within the athletic department at Hartwick she helped performed game management duties for fall and winter varsity sports.


From 2017-19, Blackmon worked as a head coach for both high school and middle school teams at Fast and Furious Travel Lacrosse in Ball Ground, Ga.


"I am really excited to have the opportunity to work with the W&L women's lacrosse team," Blackmon said. "The program has such a strong history of athletic and academic success. I am looking forward to helping these student-athletes develop their skills to reach their personal and team goals next to Coach Coleman."


At Washington and Lee, Blackmon will assist in all aspects of the women's lacrosse program and work closely with the midfielders in and on the draw circle.

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Gene McCabe

Gene McCabe is in his 15th season as the head men’s lacrosse coach at Washington and Lee. He recently completed a two-year term as the President of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Coaches Association (USILA).


McCabe claims the most wins in program history, posting a 163-82 (.665) overall record across his first 14 seasons. He also boasts five NCAA Tournament bids and three ODAC Tournament titles. He has guided W&L to double-digit wins in 10 of his 14 seasons, including eight of the last nine years, which have included four appearances in the ODAC Championship game.


W&L tied the school record for wins (16-5) during the 2019 campaign, winning the ODAC title and advancing to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. McCabe was named ODAC Coach of the Year for the second time in his career, after W&L claimed its third straight ODAC regular season championship. The Generals chattered the school record for goals in a season, tallying 329 goals in 21 games (15.7 gpg). Additionally, A.J. Witherell '21 broke the school's career scoring record and was named First Team All-American for the second straight year.


The 2018 season also featured a high-scoring offense that averaged 13.95 goals per game and set a then school record for goals in a season (279). The Generals finished 15-5 overall, won the ODAC regular season title and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Dickinson in overtime by a score of 10-9. For their efforts, McCabe and his staff were recognized as the IMLCA South Region Coaching Staff of the Year.


The 2017 squad also claimed the ODAC regular season crown and finished with a 10-7 overall record. The Generals averaged 15.6 goals per outing.


McCabe's 2016 team started slow with a 2-2 record after four games, but went on to win 13 of its next 14 games to claim the ODAC title and advance to the NCAA Tournament. The Generals knocked off Sewanee in the opening round, before falling to York in the second round. W&L finished the season with a 16-4 record, tying the program record for wins in a season.


The Generals also advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2013 under McCabe's leadership, also tying the school record for wins with a 16-5 overall mark. W&L knocked off top-ranked Salisbury during the regular season and advanced to the ODAC title contest before dropping a 10-9 decision to Roanoke in the finale. The Generals received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and defeated Sewanee, before falling to Salisbury in the second round.


McCabe's 2012 team was a young outfit that jelled late in the season, winning four of its final five games to finish as the conference runner-up. Along the way, W&L knocked off third-seeded Hampden-Sydney and second-seeded Roanoke in the conference tournament.


In his third season, McCabe helped W&L capture the ODAC Championship with a 15-14 overtime win over top-ranked and previously unbeaten Roanoke. The Generals advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Gettysburg. The Generals completed the season ranked sixth nationally and McCabe was selected as the ODAC Coach of the Year.


McCabe's 2014, 2011 and 2008 teams all earned the No. 2 seed in the ODAC tournament and during his tenure, W&L has continued to play one of the toughest schedules in Division III.


McCabe was no stranger to W&L lacrosse upon arriving in the summer of 2006. He had previously served as an assistant lacrosse and football coach for the Generals from 1998-2001. During his three seasons with the lacrosse team, the Generals posted a 43-5 (.896) overall record and a 17-1 mark in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference while achieving a No. 1 National Ranking in 1999 and 2001. Additionally, W&L won two ODAC Championships and participated in the NCAA Tournament twice, advancing to the semifinals in 2000.


After a successful run with the Generals, McCabe left for Hamilton College in January of 2002, steering the Continentals to a 54-18 (.750) overall record in five seasons. His 2003 team finished the season with a school-record 15 wins (15-3), claimed the Liberty League title and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals. For his efforts, McCabe was named the Liberty League Coach of the Year and USILA Division III National Coach of the Year. McCabe and his staff were also selected the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year following an 11-3 season in 2006. In his five seasons, McCabe mentored seven Continentals to USILA All-America accolades.


McCabe graduated from Bates College in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in European history. At Bates, he lettered in both lacrosse and football.

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